Spy ship Yantar: British defense minister warns Putin
The Russian ship Yantar was discovered in the vicinity of British submarine cables. Defense Minister Healey sent the navy and threatened Putin.
The British frigate HMS Somerset and the Russian ship Yantar: "Royal Navy rules of engagement amended"
(Image: Ministry of Defence)
Hands off our underwater cables: British Defense Secretary John Healey has sent a clear warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was prompted by the presence of a suspected Russian spy ship in British territorial waters.
The Yantar was first sighted in the North Sea and then in the English Channel. According to the British Ministry of Defense, this was the second time in two months that the ship had been in British waters. It had been in areas where undersea cables run.
"We will protect this country"
The British Navy then deployed HMS Tyne, a River-class ocean patrol vessel, and HMS Somerset, a Duke-class frigate, to monitor the Yantar. He had "changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and track the Yantar better", Healeyin told a parliamentary session. "I also want President Putin to hear this message: we see you, we know what you are doing, and we will not shy away from effective action to protect this country."
In November, a nuclear-powered Astute-class fighter submarine surfaced close to the Russian ship. This is an unusual maneuver and, according to Healey, was intended as a deterrent measure. It should be clear "that we are covertly monitoring every movement of the ship".
According to official Russian information, the Yantar is a research vessel. However, it is operated by the Ministry of Defense. Its equipment includes unmanned underwater vehicles designed to search the seabed. According to experts, they are capable of sabotaging underwater cables and possibly also of eavesdropping on them. The ship is now on its way to the Mediterranean.
Yantar has been deployed frequently since the start of the war
The ship has often been spotted in European waters in the past. Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, it has been sailing there more often. It is suspected of spying on undersea cables for power and data.
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(wpl)
